How the kulfi originated

Kulfi has been around long before the ice creams of today. The word ‘kulfi’ comes from the Persian qulfi meaning “covered cup”. It is believed to have originated in Delhi during the 16th century, making it nearly 500 years old. Did you ever wonder how they made it before the arrival of the modern refrigerator?

Kulfi is not like regular ice cream; it is denser and creamier. Sweetened and flavoured milk is cooked over a low flame and stirred continuously to prevent it from sticking to the utensil. The slow cooking condenses and thickens the milk, caramelises the sugar and browns the milk proteins giving kulfi its unique taste and feel. The Mughals added pistachios and saffron for flavour. But how did this heavenly mix turn into ice cream?

Sourcing ice

The ancients were fascinated by ice. Since some parts of their territories had glaciers and enjoyed snowfall, the Mughals had access to ice. They established a system of human runners, horses, bullock carts, boats and other forms of transport to bring ice from the Himalayas to cities like Lahore and Delhi. Blocks of ice were carefully cut out, wrapped in multiple layers of fine clean cotton and then jute cloth. Saltpetre, a form of salt that helps in refrigeration, was sprinkled. Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed record of the Mughal emperor Akbar’s administration, mentions the use of saltpetre for refrigeration as well as the transportation of Himalayan ice to warmer areas.

Stored in sealed wooden boxes within layers of fine wooden chips, the ice travelled well. Once it reached the cities, it was storied in specially built and temperature controlled ice pits, which were deep underground chambers. Initially limited to royals,, this technology became available to the common man over a period of time.

Let’s get back to the kulfi’s connection with ice. The flavoured and cooked milk was cooled, poured into moulds (mud pots or kulhars) and sealed. These were then submerged in a matka (clay pot), which was filled with ice slurry and salt that acted as a refrigerant. The pot was sealed and the mixture froze with a soft smooth consistency, free of ice crystals. Called matka kulfi, this method is still very much in use.

Starting with traditional flavours such malai, rose, cardamom, and pistachio, kulfi has now found new flavours like strawberry, peanut, and even avocado. The next time you meet your roadside kulfiwallah, observe his apparatus carefully and talk to him too. The ancient methods are still widely used.